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Taobao Shopping Made Simpler And Safer With Superbuy

Alibaba Group founder, Jack Ma, explained (perhaps jokingly) at a Credit Suisse event the difference between shopping on Amazon and on Taobao – “If you go to Amazon, you go buy what exactly (sic) you want. You get it, you feel happy. In China, on Taobao, it’s different. The things you ordered, (when delivered), may not (be) the things you want.” I would add that even if the item delivered is the one we ordered, it may not arrive in good condition. Thus, while there are many Taobao agents to choose from, I’ve found Superbuy Taobao agent to be the most impressive in terms of the care they take with our parcels. I received my order of Chinese books last month in pristine condition, possibly better than if I had visited the stores myself to select those books! Read on till the end to find out why I feel this way…

Screenshot: the Superbuy website

Here are 8 reasons why I enjoy using Superbuy for my Taobao shopping:

#1: Great for folks who aren’t familiar with Mandarin

If you think Taobao is difficult to navigate because the site uses Mandarin predominantly, you’ll love Superbuy. Even their emails come in both English and Mandarin.

As English is my first language, reading stuff in Chinese characters can be frustrating sometimes. And even when it isn’t, my reading speed has been slowed down considerably.

I avoid sellers whom Superbuy tells me are “Risky” or “Not Recommended”. As you can see in the screenshots above, they are also color-coded according to (perceived) level of risk. Of course, you can go ahead and purchase from these sellers, especially if the item is not too costly or if you don’t need it urgently. I’d prefer to avoid the hassle of dropping a seller later on, and having to pick a new one, so I simply pick the ones who have gotten good reviews.

#3: Coupons for discounts

I love discounts. Actually, who doesn’t? 😀 Superbuy makes it fun to use their platform as simply signing up will give you 188 RMB worth of coupons. 😀

#4: Negotiation with the seller(s) on your behalf

I know some other Taobao agents offer this service too. I didn’t use it this time as the books I ordered were relatively cheap and I didn’t want to bargain for the sake of bargaining even though I did order 5 books from one seller. 😉

#5: Superbuy’s Value-Added Services

I absolutely LOVE how Superbuy offers ‘Package Removal’ and ‘Brand Tag Removal’ free-of-charge. If you select these options, Superbuy will remove the original packaging (I believe this can considerably reduce the weight of my parcel) and the brand tags from your items can be discarded too (so you pay less in custom duties? OOPS).

I do prefer having the original packaging removed, so Superbuy can check the items for me. If there are defects, Superbuy can help me get a refund or an exchange. If the items are kept in their original packaging, who’s to know if it’s exactly what I wanted / ordered?

#6: Delivery Options… EXPLAINED

My package reached me in about 8 days or so even though I had ordered items from 5 different sellers, requested for all the original packaging to be removed, and also selected the *ahem* cheapest shipping option for my order.

I love how Superbuy explains each shipping option in detail so you know which one is “time saving” or “cost-effective” or which might allow for “easy customs clearance” and which would mean your item can get “taxed in Thailand” very easily. 😀

#7: Payment via PayPal

I do enjoy paying via PayPal as it’s secure, fast, and doesn’t require me to search for my Internet Banking dongle in order to complete the transaction. 😀

#8: Packaged so well; I couldn’t have done it better myself

I received the box via courier:

It’s sealed up so well that I don’t think even an ant could have sneaked in.

Inside, there’s bubble wrap to ensure the books I ordered don’t get damaged:

The order from each seller comes individually wrapped in Superbuy packaging:

The sticker reads: We have carefully examined your order. (*Or something like that*)

This level of care is mind-blowing. Every single item I received was in great condition. I would definitely recommend you choose Superbuy if you’re purchasing expensive or fragile items. Even books too! I’m one of those people who are super particular about the books I buy – they have to be crease-free, (definitely!) no dog ears, and with no visible imperfections *cough cough*. If you’re purchasing items such as inexpensive clothing, then just about any platform will do, I guess. If I’m getting a gift for someone, or household items (maybe a new lamp or ornament), or anything fragile, Superbuy will be my Taobao agent of choice! 🙂